Social media and visual content to drive ecommerce growth

The Shopper Experience Index, from Bazaarvoice, examines how consumers are engaging and interacting with more than 2,600 websites in the Bazaarvoice Network of brand and retailer domains. Bazaarvoice also surveyed more than 400 brand and retail clients to find out what they’re focused on and investing in over the next two years.

The research found that pictures and video content is now one of the most important elements in ecommerce and 81% of those interviewed plan to integrate social media and online shopping for their business. 

Joe Rohrlich, EVP and general manager EMEA, Bazaarvoice comments, “The average consumer spends two hours a day on social media platforms, and visual customer generated content acts as a powerful conduit between social platforms and e-commerce. Consumers have embraced features such as shoppable social content, and are coming to expect scrollable galleries of product and lifestyle content alongside the online shopping experience.”

Visual content and social media growing in importance 

The Shopper Experience Index also found that shoppers use visual content on social channels to determine what their next purchase is. Wat their friends buy and share will also influence their own buying behaviours. 

Brands and retailers are therefore turning to more visual content to improve the shopping experience. According the client survey, 80% say visual content increases discoverability of products and 88% say visual social media content improves brand trust.

Apart from social media content, reviews and customer content are also becoming a key growth driver for ecommerce businesses. The focus is justified by the study’s findings, which shows that 45% of shoppers read reviews before purchasing products in-store — a 15% year-over-year increase.